Must ... restrain ... myself ....

[billyharris72]

Just seen this on ebay and am seriously almost tempted. Not just a telescope, but a piece of folk legend. I mean, how bad can it be?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DYNAMAX-CRITERION-TELESCOPE-Vintage-used-with-Dyna-Tracker-Not-Tested-/232426028273?hash=item361dabbcf1:g:iTQAAOSwGZhZebWi

Anyone here actually looked through one and able to offer an informed opinion?

Billy.

[spillage]

ohhh only 15 minutes from where I live...

[John]

Not a scope with a good reputation I'm afraid

There are a few that are OK but many had issues. If you really know your stuff you might be able to make something of it, if the primary is one of the better ones, but otherwise probably best avoided.

[Peter Drew]

£67 is about right!  I have used one of these and wasn't impressed with the optics or mechanics. Should be ok for some forms of photography.  

[rl]

 

1 hour ago, billyharris72 said:

Not just a telescope, but a piece of folk legend. I mean, how bad can it be?

Actually, very bad. I had the 4" Criterion and it was truly awful. Put me off SCTs for life. Criterion/ Dynamax / Bausch+Lomb all had a reputation for very variable production quality. At the time (late 80s) Meade and Celestron weren't a whole lot better. Halleymania was in full swing and all pretence at quality control went out of the window to satisfy demand.

RL

[billyharris72]

That's about what I've always heard - that these things were almost legendarily bad. If it were £20 cheaper i would be inclined to go for it out of sheer morbid curiosity, but I'll leave the privilege to someone else....

It could make a good project. Replace the primary, secondary, corrector plate, focuser and mount and it could be a nice scope.

[John]

1 hour ago, billyharris72 said:

.... Replace the primary, secondary, corrector plate, focuser and mount and it could be a nice scope.

Extract from a review on another forum:

".... Jupiter looked like an amoeba, and a deformed amoeba at that ...."

 

[triton1]

Can't believe there's another one in the states for £359 and £88 pand p

[John]

8 hours ago, triton1 said:

Can't believe there's another one in the states for £359 and £88 pand p

It's amazing how little research some folks do before clicking the "buy" button.

There are scopes on e.bay on our side of the pond that are listed at way over the normal retail price band but from the seller feedback people must be buying them

[triton1]

It might be a case that the scope itself is not of good quality or even useful but will end up as an ornament but you can say "I've got one".

[John]

Here is an example of what I was getting at:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Skywatcher-Startravel-102-SynScan-AZ-GOTO-Computer-Controlled-Refractor-120-mm-4-/302402810794?epid=1705107426&hash=item46689cb3aa:g:0JoAAOSwjkVZgh7t

£533.34 on e.bay when you can buy the same scope from FLO for £317.00 delivered 

Mind you, all that feedback is private, which makes you wonder .....

 

[Dave In Vermont]

I dove into my files, as well as jog my memory on articles I've read on the Criterion Dynamax.

I've posted pictures below - which were titled "Criterion Dynamax - the Horror Scope!"

It seems most people got a lemon - with the lemon being the normal state of these CATS (Catadioptric Len/Mirror) telescopes.

I have a love for CATS, but these seem to be a flea-infested rabid variety.

I'd suggest steering a clear-course away from this,

Dave

 

 

 

 

[triton1]

The nail on the head,nice one Dave?

[spillage]

So to round up it's one of these.....

[Stub Mandrel]

11 hours ago, John said:

It's amazing how little research some folks do before clicking the "buy" button.

There are scopes on e.bay on our side of the pond that are listed at way over the normal retail price band but from the seller feedback people must be buying them

The Ebay price of a new scope seems to be 15-30% higher than the proper dealers charge. Yet people buy off ebay thinking it has to be a bargain.

[John]

I've had some great bargains from e.bay but there is much to avoid on there as well.

[MarsG76]

Come on, you should have gone ahead and spoiled yourself.

 

[Mognet]

On 04/08/2017 at 10:51, Dave In Vermont said:

 

 

I can't say anything about the scope, but that's definitely a horror mount! Wonder how long the wheels lasted with all that weight on top